EFFECT OF INTERVENTION PROTOCOL ON NURSING-SENSITIVE OUTCOMES OF PATIENTS WITH EPIDURAL ANALGESIA

Abstract

Background: Epidural analgesia insertion is common technique used to manage acute and chronic pain for patients with cancer, after major surgery, and is viewed as the ‘gold standard for effective management. Nursing management is essential for long term epidural analgesia to reduce the risk of complications. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of intervention protocol on nursing sensitive outcomes of patients with epidural analgesia. Design: Quasi experimental research (study &control) design was used to achieve the aim of this study. Setting: This study was conducted at Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at National Cancer Institute (NCI) affiliated to Cairo University. Subject: A purposive sample consists of 100 adult patients. Tools: (I) Nursing- Sensitive Outcomes Assessment Scale. It was composed of three parts. Patient demographic data, Patients medical data and Nursing- Sensitive Patients Outcomes scales to assess patient’s outcomes after epidural analgesia. Results: there was lower total mean score of physiological and psychological health outcomes among study group of patients rather than total mean score of control group of patients. There was high total mean score of health knowledge outcomes among study group of patients than total mean score of control group of patients Conclusion: this study concluded that there was a significant improvement on patients' nursing sensitive outcomes post implementation of intervention protocol. The implementation of intervention protocol for patients with epidural analgesia has a statistically significant positive effect on their physiological, psychological and health knowledge outcomes which support the stated hypothesis. Recommendations: Replication of the current study on larger probability sample is recommended to achieve generalization of the results.